This invention relates to dental appliances, and more particularly to an improved device for collecting and removing debris and saliva from the mouth of a patient while maintaining a clear operating field during the conduct of dental procedures therein.
During dental operations such as drilling, filling, and taking impressions for crown and bridge work, it is desirable and in some cases absolutely necessary that the work area in the mouth be maintained as free of liquid as possible. The use of high speed drills requiring the use of a liquid coolant continuously provided to the point of drill contact makes the use of a suction device to continuously withdraw such fluid, as well as saliva and other debris, from the mouth of a patient, a necessity.
When lower crown and bridge impressions are being taken, problems unique to that particular dental procedure require that the impression site be devoid of any excess moisture. This is because the plastic or rubber material used to make such impressions will not form an accurate impression if excess moisture is present. Thus, such a dental procedure requires a suction device that will continuously and efficiently remove all excess moisture, such as rinse water, saliva, or blood, from the entire area around the site where the impression is to be taken, However, the device must be small enough to be able to fit comfortably into the mouth around the inside of the lower teeth of the patient while still permitting access of the tray which carries the impression material. Additionally, the device must be able to control the tongue to keep it away from the impression site.
Prior suction devices have utilized multiple orifice structures to expel moisture from the mouth of a patient as disclosed by Friedman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,436,040; Baughan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,545; and Lussier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,598. Still, other prior dental suction devices have utilized, at least in part, generally U-shaped tubes to evacuate the lower jaw area of patients during dental operations. Examples of such devices are shown by Van Lanigan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,348; Dayholl, U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,468; and Jarboe, U.S. Pat. No. 2,701,916. Finally, Erickson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,122 discloses a dental suction device which incorporates a bite block permitting a patient to grip the suction device in his or her teeth during dental operations.
However, none of the above-mentioned prior dental suction devices address or solve the unique problems associated with making accurate lower crown and bridge work impressions. Accordingly, the need still exists in the art for a dental suction device which will continuously and efficiently remove excess moisture from a patient's mouth and control the movement of a patient's tongue, and yet be sized such that there is access permitted for the tray containing the impression material.